Today in Legal History: Your Two Cents!

From 1864 to 1873, the United States minted just over 45.5 million two-cent coins. In its history of “In God We Trust”, the Treasury Department notes that in the Act of April 22, 1864 (Chapter 66, 38 Congress, Session 1, 13 Stat. 54 (1861-1864)), Congress authorized the minting of the two-cent coin. The Mint Director was to develop the designs for these coins for final approval of the Secretary. IN GOD WE TRUST first appeared on the 1864 two-cent coin.